GLEN RIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Curriculum Guide

Course Title: Grade One Art

Subject: Art

Grade level: 1

Department/School: Visual Arts/Forest Avenue-Linden Avenue

Duration: 1 year

Number of credits: N/A

Prerequisite: None

Elective or Required: Required

Author: Julie Burns

Date Submitted: Summer 2007

Course Description

Grade 1

First Grade builds the foundation for art experiences in the elementary years. Students are still developing fine motor coordination. Activities such as cutting with scissors, holding pencils, and folding paper, can be challenging. The teacher watches carefully and gives special attention where needed. Throughout the year the children draw, sometimes doing "free choice" drawings. The program seeks to use the children's vivid imaginations and openness to develop the creative process.

Drawing and painting are important parts of the program. Drawing is done throughout the year both as preparation for other projects and as an exercise in itself. In First Grade, the children learn about the connection between negative and positive space and carry out a series of exercises that give them an opportunity to explore this concept. At the same time in other assignments the children paint and draw using their imagination and design ability to define and enhance their work.

Art history and appreciation are included throughout the year as the teacher brings relevant material to the different projects and disciplines. The teacher encourages students to express their observations and feelings about a work of art. The students sometimes do activities using the techniques and/or style of a particular artist. The teacher selects artists representing a wide range of disciplines, techniques, cultures, and historical styles.

Many of the children are beginning to use a more perceptual approach, rather than conceptual, in their artwork. Accurate representations of the real world can be very important to many children, although skill levels to achieve accuracy vary widely. Children are made to feel comfortable at any level. Holidays, school celebrations, and school assemblies offer many possibilities for art projects.

GLEN RIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS MISSION STATEMENT

An education in the arts is an essential part of the academic curriculum for the achievement of human, social, and economic growth. The arts enable personal, intellectual, and social development for each individual and strive to enhance the student’s sense of confidence and self-esteem. The arts are uniquely qualified to cultivate a variety of multiple intelligences, enable varied and powerful ways of communicating ideas, thoughts and feelings, and increase the potential for life success as well as an enriched quality of life. The arts are essential for students to have a broad cultural and historical perspective.

New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards

Art

STANDARD 1.1 (AESTHETICS) ALL STUDENTS WILL USE AESTHETIC KNOWLEDGE IN THE CREATION OF AND IN RESPONSE TO DANCE, MUSIC, THEATER, AND VISUAL ART.

STANDARD 1.2 (CREATION AND PERFORMANCE) ALL STUDENTS WILL UTILIZE THOSE SKILLS, MEDIA, METHODS, AND TECHNOLOGIES APPROPRIATE TO EACH ART FORM IN THE CREATION, PERFORMANCE, AND PRESENTATION OF DANCE, MUSIC, THEATER, AND VISUAL ART.

STANDARD 1.3 (ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES) ALL STUDENTS WILL DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES OF DANCE, MUSIC, THEATER, AND VISUAL ART.

STANDARD 1.4 (CRITIQUE) ALL STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP, APPLY AND REFLECT UPON KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROCESS OF CRITIQUE.

STANDARD 1.5 (HISTORY/CULTURE) ALL STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND AND ANALYZE THE ROLE, DEVELOPMENT, AND CONTINUING INFLUENCE OF THE ARTS IN RELATION TO WORLD CULTURES, HISTORY, AND SOCIETY.

Curriculum Description

THEMATIC UNIT 1 – LOOKING AT ART

Objective:

Students will continue:

1. To appreciate the significance of the visual arts.

2. To learn about various artists and cultures.

3. Their studies of the Elements of Art and to explore various materials and techniques.

Duration of project: varied

Activities:

- Getting to know each other framed names.

- I Spy Art Eyes eyeglasses.

THEMATIC UNIT 2 – LINE, SHAPE, COLOR, SPACE AND TEXTURE

Objective:

Students will:

1. Continue to work with varieties of lines to create works of art.

2. Be introduced to horizon line, foreground and background.

3. Review the primary colors, warm/cool colors and color mixing.

4. Be introduced to secondary colors.

5. Continue to use lines to create shapes.

6. Continue to work with overlapping shapes.

7. Be introduced to positive and negative shapes.

8. Be introduced to repeating shapes to create patterns.

9. Continue to observe and draw objects.

10. Use imaginative thinking to create art.

Duration of project: varied

Activities:

- Joan Miro line pastel scribble drawings

- Frida Kahlo self portrait glue paintings

- Dinosaur landscape crayon resist watercolor paintings

- Henri Matisse collages with stamp printing

- Texture rubbing positive/negative shape collages

- African mask watercolors

- Jim Dine heart watercolors

- Pop art Mother’s Day posters

- Ice cream sundae drawings

THEMATIC UNIT 3 - FORM

Objective:

Students will be introduced to:

1. 3-D and sculpture.

2. Relief sculpture.

Duration of project: varied

Activities:

- Aluminum foil doll figures

- Papier mâché African masks

- Plaster animals

- Stuffed floating fish

- Soda bottle rainbow fish

- Elements of art paper relief sculpture collages